Fabric growing trough

Abstract

A growing trough is provided. The growing trough comprises a fabric bottom, a fabric outer wall, and a fabric partition. The fabric outer wall extends upward from the peripheral edge of the fabric bottom. The fabric partition is attached only at opposed edges thereof to the fabric outer wall preventing buckling of the fabric outer wall and equal load distribution when growing media is dumped into the growing trough. The fabric is a porous fabric that catches plant roots and directs the roots into the growing trough thereby preventing root circulation and inducing root branching within the growing trough.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A growing trough comprising:
 a rectangular fabric bottom; 
 two opposed fabric sidewalls extending upwardly from the peripheral edge of the rectangular fabric bottom, wherein the rectangular fabric bottom and the two opposed fabric sidewalls are formed from a single unstitched piece of fabric; 
 two opposed fabric end walls extending upwardly from the peripheral edge of the rectangular fabric bottom; and 
 a plurality of fabric partitions extending between and connected only to the two opposed fabric sidewalls, the rectangular fabric bottom, the two opposed fabric sidewalls, the two opposed fabric end walls and the plurality of fabric partitions comprising a non-woven, needle-punched fabric comprising staple cut fibers. 
 
     
     
       2. The growing trough of  claim 1 , the plurality of fabric partitions having opposed side edges, wherein the partitions are connected to the two opposed fabric sidewalls at the side edges thereof. 
     
     
       3. The growing trough of  claim 2 , wherein each of the fabric partitions is spaced upwardly from the fabric bottom, and wherein fill media may flow beneath the fabric partitions. 
     
     
       4. The growing trough of  claim 3 , wherein a top edge of each of the fabric partitions is spaced downwardly from top edges of the opposed fabric sidewalls. 
     
     
       5. The growing trough of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric partitions are equally spaced between the two fabric end walls. 
     
     
       6. The growing trough of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric partitions divide the growing trough into equal sized growing compartments. 
     
     
       7. The growing trough of  claim 6  wherein a length and width of the equal sized growing compartments is substantially identical. 
     
     
       8. A growing trough comprising:
 a rectangular fabric bottom; 
 a fabric outer wall extending upwardly from the fabric bottom; and 
 at least one fabric partition attached at opposed edges thereof to the fabric outer wall and spaced upwardly from the fabric bottom, wherein the fabric comprises a fuzzy surface comprised of tangled and knotted fibers configured to catch plant roots and prevent root circling. 
 
     
     
       9. The growing trough of  claim 8  comprising a plurality of fabric partitions connected at the outer edges thereof to the fabric outer wall, wherein a lower edge of each of the fabric partitions is spaced upwardly from the rectangular fabric bottom. 
     
     
       10. The growing trough of  claim 9  wherein the plurality of fabric partitions divide the growing trough into a plurality of generally identically shaped growing compartments. 
     
     
       11. The growing trough of  claim 9  wherein the fabric outer wall comprises:
 first and second side walls; and 
 first and second end walls, the plurality of partitions being connected at the outer edges thereof to the first and second side walls. 
 
     
     
       12. The growing trough of  claim 8  configured to maintain a rectangular shape when filled with growing media, with no additional external support structure.